By Andy Brack, editor and publisher | People motivated by hate or prejudice to act criminally against those who are different may face a felony charge if a state hate crimes bill becomes law.

South Carolina is one of five states nationally that does not protect people from hateful acts done because of race, religion, skin color, sex, age, national origin or sexual orientation. There is a federal hate crimes law, which was used last week to add 33 federal charges against Dylann Roof, the 21-year-old man accused of slaughtering nine churchgoers in Charleston on June 17.